3 Answers
3

Pushback is the amount of time your cast time is "pushed back". This happens when you are attacked when casting any type of spell or skill, thus lengthening the time it takes to cast that spell. The reduced pushback means that the attacks will have less of an impact on your casting time.

The attacks also affects channeled spells/skills. It will cut out chunks of the channel.

pushback refers to when you are casting the spells Mind crush and Telekinetic throw and perhaps an enemy is attacking you, well when an enemy hits you the spell that is being channeled will get reduced or if you are casting the spell will take longer to cast for each hit you take while casting. When you have reduced pushback this effect is lessened or removed entirely. Im hoping that made sense, i did just wake up so give me a break c:

What do you mean, “the spell will get reduced”? What does that mean?
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svickApr 2 '12 at 8:34

When channeling a spell there is a casting bar that shows up, the casting bar is full and is steadily "emptied" depending how how long the spell channels, each time you are hit a percentage of the bar is emptied for each hit.
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ParalyticApr 2 '12 at 8:55

@svick: So if you were channeling a damage effect for 3 seconds the pushback might reduce it to only 2 seconds of damage. You would do less damage.
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Zan LynxMay 15 '13 at 23:49

In SWTOR, your character will have abilities in your advanced skill tree that will take time to take effect. For example, if you are a Sith Sorcerer and cast "Lightning Bolt", you will see a meter pop up on your screen with a bar sliding from left to right. When the bar reaches the right side, the lightning bolt will be thrown at the target.

"Pushback" happens when you are attacked BEFORE your meter has reached the right side. If you get struck, shot, etc. while waiting for your lightning bolt to be thrown, you will see the bar slide BACKWARDS a bit, that is "pushback".

Therefore, when some skills say they will reduce pushback, it means the bar gets moved backwards less, giving your ability a better chance to be completed and executed.